~ Timeskip to 2 months later ~

It has been two months since I and Akira started hanging out together. I won't say it was easy to spend time with her , at first she felt like the most boring person I ever met in my entire life,but I didn't give up on her,I countinued spending time with her even though sometimes I end up falling asleep while she read her books like a lifeless statue, even though her silence felt very annoying,I didn't stop meeting her,I didn't stop putting efforts in our friendship. And after a few weeks she started opening up to me.

And turns out she is a lot more fun person than I ever expected her to be,way more fun than my classmates who are either completely focused on becoming a pain or completely immersed in studies. They don't really know how to balance things.But she,she is a perfect balance,a perfect student, a fun person and a amazing friend. Even though she gets sarcastic at times,she always helps me with things I sometimes get stuck at. Like higer level mathematics and navigating through problems. And above all,no matter how low I am feeling she always has my back, she would talk to me about my problems and won't press if I don't feel like talking, just sit beside me as a support or hug me if I ask her to.

She is also a anime lover just like me and apparently, we have the same favourites too! I can't even remember the number of times we have spent hours talking about Naruto,Code geass, Moriarty the patriot and many other animes. It's really fun to have someone who doesn't see anime as a waste of time.

Aside from the animes ,she has a great interest in literature,she has read many books. She introduced me to Japanese literature and I don't ever regret starting my reading journey in Japanese literature from "No longer human" , it's depressing but an amazing masterpiece. She has read all of Shakespeare's works and can recite most of them by memory. Which is,if you ask me very impressive.

Aside from that she has a peculiar liking towards forests. Most of the time we hangout after school,we choose places to spend time at by turns and while I usually choose to go to karaoke or cafes or parks, she mostly choose to go to woods.

Truth to be told,I never knew that the forest behind our school has so many beautiful and relaxing spots until she took me to them. Ofcourse she did tell me to not come to the forest without her because then I will get lost and will be stuck here like a "naive idiot I am" before she comes to fetch me. She isn't wrong tho,I got a lost a couple of times even when she was navigating through woods.

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But...

All this time I spent with her.

The laughs she briefly shared.

Her mocking jokes.

Her brilliant mind.

Her sarcastic remarks.

Her kind words.

All of it.... just gives me a strange feeling in my chest. Something I have never felt before, something akin to... love. But it couldn't be...I know it...my heart is for only one girl and that...is not Akira...

______________________________________________

24 December, Akira's birthday.

Today is her birthday. And she has invited me to her house in the evening for a party. She never took me to her house to hang out before and never asked to come to mine. I can't help but feel a little nervous. I mean, it's her home we are talking about. What if her parents don't like me or... what if I mess up?

I took a deep breath and plopped on my bed shutting my eyes and grumbling.

"Come on Anhalitan! She is not your damn girlfriend,it doesn't matter if her parents don't like you or if you mess up, you will be there only for a few hours!"

I told myself and sat up,I looked at the potrait infront of me. Potrait of her i made as a birthday present. I vividly remember the first time I saw her laugh in the library,I tried portraying the same scene in this potrait.

"Mhm...I hope she likes it."

I muttered and got up from my bed and walked over to the potrait,my eyes scanning her image with my eyes,I raised my hand and trailed my fingers down her face in the potrait, stopping right beside the lips. I touched her lips,the still damp cold paint was making me shiver. I leaned in. Imagining her to be infront of me instead of her potrait. I let out a shaky breath.

"Tell Akira,why...why do I feel this strange feeling in my chest everytime I look at you."

"At your beautiful eyes,your hair, your face,your... lips..."

I leaned in more,my lips hovering above the potrait's lips.

"You are beautiful..."

I was about to close my eyes and lean in further but then I realised the crap I was doing and instantly stepped away. In disbelief of my own actions. I ran a hand over my face and took a few deep breaths to calm myself down and turned away from the potrait.

"I should find something good to wear at her birthday party while the...paint dries."

I walked over to the closet, trying not to look at the potrait.

This strange feeling is becoming troublesome...